California · Rock climbing · Lake Arrowhead

Barbarian Rock

Barbarian Rock in California has 6 climbing routes with sport and trad options.

6 routes
5.7 – 5.11a
Sport · Trad

Is Barbarian Rock open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Mountaintop Ranger District. It doesn't name Barbarian Rock, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Mountaintop Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Barbarian Rock

Best months: April–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

  1. Jan

    44° / 29°

    6 wet · 1 snow

  2. Feb

    45° / 30°

    6 wet · 1 snow

  3. Mar

    52° / 32°

    6 wet · 1 snow

  4. Apr

    60° / 36°

    4 wet · 1 snow

  5. May

    67° / 41°

    2 wet

  6. Jun

    76° / 49°

    1 wet

  7. Jul

    81° / 57°

    1 wet

  8. Aug

    82° / 57°

    1 wet

  9. Sep

    74° / 52°

    1 wet

  10. Oct

    63° / 43°

    2 wet

  11. Nov

    52° / 34°

    3 wet

  12. Dec

    43° / 29°

    5 wet · 1 snow

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Lake Arrowhead, CA, 4.6 mi away at 5,205 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Barbarian Rock is a climbing area in California's San Bernardino National Forest, within the Mountaintop Ranger District. The Forest Service manages the land, and the climbing sits among several other named spots. Rotten Rock Valley and Rock-It Wall are both about 0.1 mile away. The climbing here is a cluster of sport and trad routes. Six routes are listed, with five in the sport style and one in trad. Their grades run from 5.7 up to 5.11a, with a median of 5.10c. Braniac is the easiest at 5.7, and Eat it Raw is the hardest at 5.11a. For timing, the warmest stretch runs from June through August, when typical highs at the Lake Arrowhead weather station, 4.6 miles away, reach about 76 to 82°F and snow is rare. Winter brings highs in the low 40s and a few snowy days a month. Nearby, the Pinnacles and Metate hikes are both about a mile away. North Shore Campground and Lake Arrowhead's Green Valley Lake Recreation Area are roughly 5 miles off.

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive